Rachael McGuinness

Rachael is a creative freelancer. She has enjoyed acting since a young age which, combined with the ability to juggle with study, plays and later on, part time jobs, gave lead to the portfolio career she has today.

Since graduating from LIPA in 2005, Rachael has appeared in various professional productions across the country, aswell as performances on TV and Radio. Her passion for comedy also lead to parts a live TV pilot at Elstree Studios and a radio play with Jonny Vegas.

In 2008 Rachael moved to Manchester and enjoyed teaching and directing youth drama with Urban Stage Theatre School until taking over as the Head in Summer 2015.

After stumbling across The Sharp Project during an audition in 2010, two years later Rachael finished her job with The Financial Times as a researcher, and returned to this creative hub as part of the team. At SharpFutures, It seemed inevitable that she would end up working for a social enterprise which works with and inspires young people's development into the Creative and Digital sector. Rachael has managed young adults through apprenticeships, created educational outreach projects and organised large events at The Sharp Project such as Digital Teapot for International Women's Week.

Rachael will soon be appearing as the journalist Kat Hart in Emmerdale and Melanie Bell in Coronation Street.